Presses



Feb. 24, 1959 S.v J. CAMP-ION'E PRESSES Filed July 2o, 195e PRESSES Saverio J. Campione, North Andover, Mass. Application July 20, 1956, Serial No. 599,261 5 claims. (cl. 1z36) This invention relates to improvements in presses of the general type wherein work to be acted upon is inserted between coacting members of which one is an inflatable and deflatable bag whose inflation effects a pressing of the Work against the other member or members. Presses of the mentioned general type are extensivelyfused for applying the combining pressure in the processof shaping and adhering of sole elements to shoe uppers, and the like. The invention provides improvements in such presses whereby the intermittent operations of the press may be more elliciently and more effectively coordinated in a press in which air and liquid coact in attaining novel and highly beneficial results. v

In presses of the general type to which the invention relates, an inflatable and dellatable bag is suitably mounted at a fixed location, or is movable toI a predetermined location, and lconsistutes a support for work placed thereon, such as a shoe sole element and a shoe upper having a last therein, for example. A vertically movable upper member or jaw usually is operable into engagement with the work, following which the bag is inflated to impart the combining pressure while the lowered upper member or jaw constitutes a rigid abutment between which and the ,bag .the work may be subjected to needed relatively high pressure in response to inflation of the bag. In some cases, the upper member or jaw has been relatively lixed in position, with provision for its adjustment, and the inflatable lower jaw has been movable preliminarily to inflation thereof.

- United States Patent t When the upper jaw member is lowered into engage.

ment with work on the inflatable pad, it must be held there without any appreciably yielding in response to inflation of the bag. Various proposals heretofore have. provided mechanical means for actuating the upper jaw member and for holding it against yielding during the pressing process. Also, it has been proposed heretofore to relatively rapidly actuate the upper jaw member by air pressure and to rely upon the air pressure' to maintain it against yielding when the bag is inflated. Actually, however, the prior uses of air pressure, for main'- taining the upper jaw member during the pressing process, have not been entirely satisfactory because, under the relatively high pressures involved, the air under pressure becomes further compressed and the upper jaw member frequently yields a substantial amount in response to inflation of the bag.

In those cases where the' lowerjaw or bag has been movable preliminarily Vto its inflation, it too has been yieldable in the pressing operation, for the same reasons stated in connection with the upper jaw.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a press of the mentioned general type wherein a desired rapidity of action is 'attained by employing air under pressure for actuating the upper jaw member of the press and wherein a substantially incompressible body of oil, or other liquid, is utilized to effectively hold the depressed upper jaw member when the inflatable bag of the press is inflated.

2,874,392 Patented Feb. 24, 195.9

Another object of the invention is to provide a press of the mentioned general type wherein air under pressure and a body of liquid coact in attaining etcient and eiective operations of the press, the air under pressure being operative for electing rapid closing and rapid opening of a jaw member of the press, and said body of liquid being free to circulate in a closed circuit while said jaw member is being closed, said closed circuit becoming blocked against llow of liquid therein whenA said jaw member is completely closed, and the blocked body of liquid in said Iclosed circuit constituting substantially incompressible means resisting yielding of said closed jaw when pressure is applied thereto in response to inilation of the other jaw of the press.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press of the mentioned general type wherein air under pressure and a substantially incompressible body of liquid coact to effect rapid operations of the press with saidbody of liquid circulating idly in a closed circuit during the closing movement of one jaw member of the press and becoming locked against flow when air under pressure inflates the other jaw member of the press, the said locked body of liquid preventing yielding of said closed jaw of the press so long as said other jaw of the press continues inflated.

Y Yet another object of the invention is to provide a press of the mentioned general type, wherein one jaw member of Va press is actuated to closed position by air under pressure and the other jaw of the press subsequently is inflated by air under pressure, and wherein a body of liquid is circulated idly in a closed circuit in response to the closing movement of said one jaw of the press and becomes locked 'against flow when air under pressure is admitted to said other jaw of the press for inflating it, the said Alocked body of liquid preventing yielding of said one jaw when said other jaw is inflated. Y It is, moreover, a purpose and object of the invention generally to improve the structure and operative eiliciency of presses, and especially presses having a pair of relatively movable jaw members of which one is inllatable for pressing work between the pair of jaw members, either jaw member being movable relative to the other for opening and closing the press preliminarily to inllation of the inilatable jaw.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a press-machine wherein air and liquid coact in the operations of the press, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine of Fig. l showing two similar presses in side by side relation; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through one of the presses, approximately on line 3 3 of Fig. l, on a larger scale, and showing the air and liquid connections and thev control mechanisms diagrammatically.

Referring to the drawings, an inflatable and dellatable bag 10 may be of conventional construction, and is suitably mounted at a fixed location on the generally horizontal table-part 12 of a casing indicated generally at 14. Bag 10 has a usual upper wall 11 of flexible material, and a single conduit 16 is open into the interior of the bag and serves both for inllow to and outflow from the bag. Y

A double cylinder 20 is vertically disposed above bag 10 in substantially spaced relation thereto, the cylinder being rigidly lsupported as at 22, at an upper portion of the casing 14. A ixed partition 24 divides the interior of cylinder 20 to provide an upper air chamber 26 and a lower liquid chamber 28. A rugged shaft 30 having substantial diameter has exent axially within both of the chambers 26, 28, it extending through partition 24 and constituting a common piston rod for a piston 32 in chamber 26 and a piston 34 in chamber 28. Piston 32 is xed on the upper end of shaft 30 and piston 34 is similarly fixed to shaft 30 at an approximate distance from piston 32 such that, when piston 30 is at its upper limit of travel in chamber 26 piston 34 will fbe atr the upper end of chamber 28. Shaft 30 extends out of chamber 28 through its bottom wall, and its lower end may be equipped with any suitable work-engaging member or members, such as the illustrated arched jaw member 36 which is shown pivotally connected at 38 to the lower end of shaft 30.

A conduit 40 opens into the interior of chamber 26 at its upper end and a conduit 42 opens into the interior of chamber 26 at its lower end, whereby air under pressure, from any suitable source, may be directed through conduit 40 to drive piston 32 downward with conduit 42 serving as an exhaust line, or selectively, the air under pressure may be directed through conduit 42 to drive piston 32 upward with conduit 40 serving as an exhaust line. In the disclosed embodiment, conduits 40, 42 are connected into the valve casing 44 wherein a two-way valve 46 is operable in responseV to energization and de-energization of a solenoid 48. Depression of a foot pedal 50 closes a switch 52 in an electric circuit in which solenoid 48 is connected, thereby to energize the solenoid which attracts the stem of valve 46 to actuate the valve to the right in the illustrated embodiment, against thel resilience of spring 54. Prior to depression of foot pedal 50, valve 46 is yieldably maintained, by spring 54, in its position as shown, wherein it directs air under pressure into conduit 42 leading into the lower end of air chamber 26, whereby the pressure of air in chamber 26 acts to hold piston 32 at the upper limit of its travel, and conduit 40 is connected through valve 46 to exhaust. Actuation of valve 46 to the right, in response to energization of solenoid 48, brings the valve into position fordirecting air under pressure, through conduit 4G, into the upper' end of air chamber 26, whereby piston 30is driven downward while conduit 42 is connected through valve-46 Vto exhaust.

Liquid chamber 28 has conduit means 56 open into its interior at the upper end of the chamber and' conduit means 58 open into its interior at the lower end of the chamber. A valve casing 60Yconnect's together the outer ends of conduit means 56, 58, and valve 62 in casing 60l has a passage therein which, as shown in Fig. 3, lnormally connects the conduit means` for relatively free flowof liquid through the valve from conduit meansV 56y to conduit means 58 and vice versa. When valve62 is open, as shown, the conduit means 56, S, valve 62, and chamber 28 provide a closed circuitr for relatively free flow of liquid through the valve, in either direction, in response to movements of piston 34 in chamber 28, said closed circuit which includes chamber 2S, beinglled with oil, or other substantially incompressible liquid. Hence, when piston 32 in air chamber 26V is driven downwardly, the piston 34 in liquid chamber 28 is free to move downwardly with liquid in chamber 28 at the lower side of piston 34, owing freely through the conduit means 58, 56 and valve 62 into chamber 28 at the upper side of piston 34. Similarly, when piston 32 in air chamber 26 is driven upwardly, the piston 34 in liquid chamber 28 is free to move upwardly with liquid flowing freely. from chamber 28 at the upper side of piston 34 into chamber 28 at the under side of piston 34.

Valve 62 is yieldably maintained, by resilient diaphragm 64, in its illustrated open position but is movable to c losed position, cutting oit ow through the` conduit means 56, 58, whenever diaphragm 64 is subjected to a predetermined pressure. A spring 65 may be within casing 60 constantly biasing diaphragm 64 to its position of Fig. 3.

According to the invention, air under pressure acts on diaphragm 64 to close valve 62 following each downward movement of pistons 32,34 and of the upper jaw member 36, which latter stops the said downward movements when it engages work W arranged on inatable bag 10.

A conduit 66 leads out of the upper end of chamber 26, having a main branch 67 extending to and opening into a valve casing 68, and having a shorter branch 67', with check valve 70 therein, opening into a casing 72 wherein a switch actuating resilient diaphragm 74 is mounted. Diaphragm 74 responds to predetermined pressure thereon for closing a switch 76 in an electric circuit to a solenoid 78 which, when energized, actuates a normally closed valve 80 in valve casing 68 from its closed to its open position. Valve 80 normally closes branch conduit 67. When it opens, in response to energization of solenoid 78, air under pressure in branch conduit 67 is directed into a conduit S2 leading into valve casing 60 for closing valve 62 and locking the oil, or other liquid, in chamber 28 against ow. Also, when valve 80 opens, air under pressure in branch conduit 67 is directed into the conduit 16 which opens interiorly of inflatable lbag 10, there being suitable check means and quick-exhaust means in conduit 16. -As shown, a combined check valve and quick exhaust valve 84 is operable in valve casing 86 for closing conduit 16 against inflow of air to bag 1t) and simultaneously opening bag 10 to exhaust, and for opening conduit 16 for air flow into bag 10 and simultaneously closing the exhaust line.

Preferably, a pressure gauge 88 is provided in conduit 66 between chamber 26 and the check valve 70 in branch conduit 67'.

' Operation of the herein disclosed press is entirely automatic in response to actuations of foot-pedal 50. When pedal 50 is in its non-depressed position of Fig. 3 the press opens automatically with pistons 32, 34 moving to the upper limits of their travels in chambers 26 and 28,

respectively. The pedal-controlled solenoid 48 will be de-energized, and the two-way valve 46 will be in its positionV of Fig. 3 directing air under pressure through conduit 42 into air chamber 26 at the under side of piston 32 therein. Conduit 40 will be connected through the two-way valve 46 to exhaust.

Following insertion of work W into proper position on the now-deflated bag 10, the operator depresses pedal 50 to energize solenoid 48. Valve 46 responds by moving to the right thereby to open conduit 42 to exhaust and, simultaneously, to direct air under pressure, from supply line 90, through conduit 40 into chamber 26 at the upper side of piston 32. Piston 32 responds by moving quickly downward, and there is no appreciable resistance to corresponding downward movement of piston 34 in liquid chamber 2S because valve 62 in the closed liquid circuit is open for free tlow of liquid from the under side of piston 34 to the upper side thereof. The pistons will continue their downward movements until the pivoted jaw member 36 engages and is stopped bythe inserted Work W on bag 10. While the jaw member 36 is moving downward, relatively little pressure is built up in chamber 26 at the upper side of piston 32 and the check valve 70 in branch conduit 67 continues closed. However, as soon as the downward movement'of jaw member 36 is stopped, air pressure quickly builds'up above piston 32 and, at a predetermined pressure, the check valve 70 in branch conduit 67' opens and switch'actuating diaphragm 74 responds by closing switch 76 thereby to energize solenoid 78. The normally closed valve 80 responds by moving to open position and directing the air under pressure in branch conduit 67 simultaneously'into conduits 82 and 16 for closing liquidtlow valve 62 and opening the combined check valve and quick exhaust valve 84 in conduit 16 leading to bag` 10. Opening of valve 84 for inflation of bag 10 simultaneously closes the bag exhaust line.

After the work W has been acted upon by the press, the operator releases 'foot-pedal 50 and two-way valve 46 returns to its Fig. 3 position in which pressure Huid is directed through conduit 42 into chamber 26 at the under-side of piston 32, and chamberv 26, at the upper side of: piston-32, is opened through conduit 4t) and valve 46 to atmosphere. Conduit 82 also becomes opened to atmosphere, such as through by-pass conduit 83 leading around valve 80 from conduit 82 to conduit 67, the by-pass conduit having a check valve 83' therein which closes against flow from conduit 67 to conduit 82. Release of pressure fluid from conduit 82 permits movement of valve 62 to its open position of Fig. 3, and permits valve 84 to move to its bag-venting position of Fig. 3.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, that a press has been provided wherein air under pressure and a substantially incompressible body of liquid coact in the attainment of superior pressing effects and results with the pressure air serving to provide convenient and effective rapidity of operation of the press and with the said body of liquid coming into service in the pressing stage for locking the movable jaw member of the press against yielding when the inflatable jaw or bag of the press is inflated.

Also, it will be apparent that two or more presses of the description of that herein disclosed may be associated together in a single machine with each operating independently of each other, or a plurality of the presses may be inter-connected for operation in unison in response to operator-actuation of a single foot-pedal 50.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a press having a work-engaging member movable toward and from a work support, a fixed cylinder having two chambers therein,`a shaft extending within both of said chambers, one end portion of said shaft extending out of the cylinder and having said workengaging member thereon, separate pistons fixed on said shaft, one in each of said chambers, a body of liquid in one of said chambers, conduit means open into said one of the chambers on opposite sides of said piston therein, said conduit means constituting with said one of the chambers, a closed circuit for free flow of said liquid in response to movements of said piston in said one of the cylinder chambers, means for supplying fluid under pressure into the other of said chambers on one side of said piston therein thereby to drive both of said pistons in one direction in their respective cylinder chambers, and means operative in response to predetermined pressure in said other of the cylinder chambers for cutting off flow of liquid in said closed circuit thereby to lock said piston in said one of the chambers against movement within said one of the chambers when the fluid pressure in said other of the cylinder chambers has attained said predetermined pressure.

2. A press comprising a movable work-engaging member, a shaft having one end connected to said member, a cylinder fixed in position relative to said member, said cylinder having a plurality of axially aligned chambers therein and said shaft extending axially within all of said chambers, a separate piston in each of said chambers and all fixed on said shaft, means for directing pressure fluid into one of said chambers on one side of the piston therein for driving the piston and said shaft in one direction, said one of the chambers, at the other side of said piston, being simultaneously opened to exhaust, a body of liquid in another of said chambers, conduit means open into said another of the chambers on Opposite sides of said piston therein and constituting with said another chamber a closed circuit in which said liquid is free to flow from one side to the other of said piston in said another of the chambers, whereby the latter said piston is free to move in response to a said movement of said shaft, means responsive to predetermined tluid pressure in said one of the cylinder chambers for stop-ping flow of liquid in said closed circuit thereby to lock said piston in said another of said chambers against any movement in the latter said charnber.

3. A press as defined in-claim 2 wherein there is an inflatable work support mounted at a xed location opposite said movable work-engaging member and toward which said member is movable to engage Work between them, and means responsive to predetermined luid pressure which acts thereon only when liquid flow in said closed circuit is stopped, for directing pressure fluid into said support for inflating it substantially simultaneously with the said locking of the piston against any movement in the said another of the cylinder chambers.

4. A press as defined in claim 2 wherein there is an inflatable support mounted at a fixed location opposite said movable work-engaging member, and said fluidpressure responsive means, when it responds to said predetermined fluid pressure in said one of the cylinder chambers effects inflation of said support substantially simultaneously with the said locking of the piston in said another of the cylinder chambers against any movement therein.

S. A press as defined in claim 2 wherein there are separate conduits for directing said fluid under pressure into said one of the cylinder chambers selectively on either side of the piston in said one of the chambers, and a valve controlling said separate conduits and constantly biased to one position in which pressure uid is directed into said one of the chambers on that side of the piston therein which is toward said another of the cylinder chambers, whereby said piston in said one of the chambers, when said valve is in its said one position, is maintained at -that end of said one of the chambers which is remote from said another of the chambers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 590,588 Peabody Sept. 28, 1897 2,339,024 Markson Jan. 11, 1944 2,441,264 Eaton May ll, 1948 2,608,064 McDonald Aug. 26, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 883,720 Germany July 20, 1953 

